1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ear tag applicator tool.
A well known type of ear tag for use in the identification of small animals (such as sheep, calves etc) is of one piece construction comprising an elongate panel having a headed stem disposed at or near one end and an opening disposed at or near the other end. The tag is applied to an animal's ear by using an applicator tool which loops the panel about the edge of the ear and then forces the headed stem through the ear. The head as it protrudes through the ear snap locks through the opening in the panel to thereby fix together the ends of the panel and retain the tag in the ear.
2. Description of the Invention
When tagging, for example, sheep a large number of animals are tagged in relatively quick succession. This means that the operator must manually load a tag into the applicator tool prior to each tagging operation. The loading operation can be fiddly and even though a skilled operator can quickly load, apply the tag to the animal and re-load in a minimum time span the need to individually load each tag prior to application represents a considerable amount of the overall time taken to tag a number of animals. To reduce this time it is often the case that the operator will have two applicators with an assistant loading one applicator while the operator uses the other for tagging. In this way the operator does not need to pause to load an applicator prior to applying the tag.
It is a well known technique for a tag manufacturer to supply tags of the aforementioned type in a strip of tags located side by side. This can be achieved by the tags being mounted on a length of adhesive material. Alternatively the manufacturer can mould, as one piece, a strip of tags coupled side by side via integrally moulded frangible elements. Thus the operator can merely lift or break a tag from the strip prior to loading the tag into the applicator. This assists the operator or person loading the applicator as the tag is more readily to hand than is the case where a plurality of tags are located in a container or the pocket of an apron worn by the operator/loader.
To further speed up the operation of tagging a large number of animals in quick succession it has long been suggested to provide an applicator tool which is fully or partially self loading. For example in our New Zealand Patent Specification 211853 there is disclosed an applicator for a one piece tag. A part of the tag can be located in guide means and during operation of the applicator the applicator needle engages with the tag and applies same to the animal. In this way the operator does not need to physically load the tag onto the applicator needle. However, tags still do need to be loaded individually.
In our New Zealand Patent Specification 215888 there is disclosed an applicator for a one piece tag wherein the applicator incorporates a rotatable magazine having cavities. An individual tag can be pre-loaded into each cavity. The applicator, during operation thereof, removes a tag from a cavity whereupon the magazine indexes so that a new cavity with tag is presented for the next application operation. Thus while once again tags need to be individually loaded into the rotary magazine the operator can carry out tagging of a number of animals in quick succession prior to having to "reload" the applicator.
Likewise in New Zealand Patent Specification 191261 there is disclosed an applicator tool for one piece tags wherein a plurality of tags are loaded (one at a time) into the applicator. The tags are then individually indexed by operation of the tool to a tag reception area which presents the tag ready for application to the animals ear. Thus as with the applicator of Patent Specification 215888 the operator can tag a number of animals in quick succession, however, there is still the need for individual loading of tags into the applicator.